I have been trying to learn to catch freshwater redfish at Trading House Creek Reservoir near Waco. I have been there four times before trolling Jet Diver-Pet Spoon combinations and controlled drifting perch, but only one legal fish a week ago- a nice 30 incher (controlled drifting perch).

Saturday we controlled drifted (trolling motor as slow as possible) perch with balloons out the back and down lines up front. We use line-counter reels so we can measure line out fairly accurately to set depth. We keep the balloons pretty shallow (13-15 feet) since we cannot dynamically adjust depth on them and fine-tune depth on the down lines as water depth and fish seem to dictate.

I was feeling pretty good when I caught a 30 incher in the morning and missed a couple of others. We got out of the heat and went back to Waco for a nap and came back around 5:00 p.m.

Again a couple of misses and then boom-hit on balloon line. It was my partner's turn so she grabbed the rod and the fight was on. I could tell it was a good fish so I cleared the other lines. We use 30 lb. braided line with 20 lb. Vanish leaders, but it still took her at least 15-20 to get the fish near to surface and I got lucky with the net even though he wasn't really done yet.

38.75" and 24.2 pounds I included the picture of the scale for any doubting Thomas's.




We are still learning and have some questions. Billy Tyus (state fresh water redfish holder and fishing guide) leaves his reels in clicker, but when we try that we miss the fish. If we leave the reel in gear the fish usually hook themselves, but we still miss 50%. What do you think?

Billy swears by the balloons for bigger fish. He thinks they are too spooky to catch on down lines because of the boat's shadow, displacement effect, and even very quiet trolling motor sound. We struggle with the balloon lines because we inevitably drift into shallow water a couple of times a day and they hit bottom and drag off the bait or hang-up. With the down lines we can vary the depth at any time and can usually pull them up before dragging. I was about to decide that the balloons were too much trouble, but the big fish hit a balloon line ???? The two 30" redfish each hit down lines. I guess I will continue with the balloons a while longer.

We have experimented with planer boards to get some lines out to the side of the boat, but have not learned the lake well enough to run them on both sides without dragging them from time to time. Maybe we will learn the lake and our new GPS better and be able to run the planer boards better.

[This message has been edited by sbmcruise (edited 07-13-2003).]

Great fish! Looks like you are way ahead of the curve already. I'd just keep on keepin on. Keep posting though. I would like to learn a few things about them. Someone here knows a thing or 2 and with the pictures and report you may have a few more boats out with you.

vaner caught the 36 inch one last year out of my boat on a downrigger on a number 17 spoon. redfin is the expert there on this board for reds at Trading house. but we will be making our annual trip down there very soon! it was august last year, fish did not fight more then 5 minutes, but it was a good one, varner mounted it and rain got us off the lake or we would have caught more.

i have heard of a guy catching them on DD 14 adn 22's casting to the shallows and digging them in and the letting them float up and so on.


if you are missing them, you may want to shorten the leader. how long do you have it now? do not do it as long as you would for striper fishing at whitney, like 4 feet, try about 18 inches, that is what i use at the coast for reds

We are using 6 foot leaders. The water isn't all that clear, so I will try a shorter leader on a rod or two.

Stripermagic and I have trolled all sizes of Pet Spoons without much success. The smaller spoons catch drum, whites, and the occasional undersized redfish. The larger spoons haven't caught anything for us yet, but I will continue that effort as well.

Give us a heads-up and we will try and meet you when you come. Bill and I fish together whenever my significant other isn't available.

I note that the two most recent state records were caught the day before a new moon in June. The new moon in August is on the 27th which is a Wednesday so either weekend surrounding it would probably be good. Let us know.

Bradbury,

Who hold the lake record for rod and reel on Tradinghouse for Red's. I talked with Refin awhile back on this and I though he was the record holder or pretty close to it. I have never been to trading house, but sure so like fun. I know Redfin used to guide on Tradinghouse a couple of years ago. Redfin were you at. Who hold the Redfish record on Tradinghouse. I though it was you?

No, my client doesn't hold the Tradinghouse lake record redfish...some bank fisherman caught it many moons before my client caught his. My client shares the world record freshwater redfish with Les Pratt who caught his while bass fishing Fairfield last year.

Most people who catch these big fish don't know about the world record category for them (Billy Lieass...errrr, Tyus included). If I fished as much as he does for redfish, I'd own seventy-eleven records between Fairfield and Tradinghouse.

As it was I took two clients to world records at Tradinghouse...a 22-4 in May of 1995 and the 26-0 in May of 1997, 13 days apart from exactly 2-years. Rick Rivard owned it in 1994 (November) with a 17-8 fish. I've seen two fish caught out of Tradinghouse by other anglers I know would have broken the 22-4 record before I took Jeff Heimer to his 26-0 fish.

Don't let anyone fool you...a big red isn't spooked by a boat in these lakes...if they were, they'd be spending all their time on the bank with all the boats that use these lakes. Another Tyus myth. If it were fact, then why hasn't he nailed a bunch of them?

Will somebody please get out there and jerk that state record out from under that bum?

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[This message has been edited by redfin (edited 07-14-2003).]